The Pale Warg
by ThatMetalHeadChick
Summary: About the birth of Azog's warg... and the life she has with the Pale Orc. AU and slightly OOC caring!Azog. Rating is for minor language, though none is used in a derogatory fashion.
1. Chapter 1

**So. I'm doing this short ficlet as a background for why Azog is the only one with a white warg. I know most people probably didn't care about that, but I was curious about it. AU, obviously, with a caring!Azog in here. Based on the 2012 movie, not the book... because we all know he wasn't really in the book. Anywho... Enjoy!**

The warg bitch upon which Azog had ridden during the war was birthing her pups… and with his bitch's failing health and her elongated pregnancy, Azog knew he would have to take one of the pups under his wing and train her as his new mount and partner in battle. There was nothing more important on a battle field than one's shield-brother, but a reliable mount and pet would always be as much of an asset as any sword wielding orc.

"She is dying, Master," snarled the scraggly, emaciated orc assigned to help with the safe birthing of the pups. With a snarl, Azog viciously shoved the mangy creature aside and strode to his once strong mount. Not wishing any of the orcs nearby to see the look of pain that had come over his face at the inevitable death of his only friend, the Pale Orc buried his face in the fur of the whimpering creature and laced his fingers through her matted fur with a growl.

No orc would approach him in such a state, this much he knew, and for this he more than a little thankful for.

The bitch let loose a small whine of appreciation to have her rider so near in her time of pain and leaned toward his smaller form. Azog's fingers tightened in the rank fur of the one creature he trusted in the whole of Middle Earth, tears pricking at his eyes but refusing to fall. An orc did not cry, and if one ever was to let loose any forms of sorrow besides pain, he was a weak creature worthy of death. Azog was thankful for his bitch to hide his face in and she seemed thankful for him.

He could smell death hovering in her form, in her every shiver, in her every convulsion as her body expelled each pup. Pulling away briefly, Azog met the gaze of his warg bitch, meeting the pain and sadness in her large brown eye, meeting the farewell deep within her hardened, motherly look. Tears threatened to fall once more, but the Pale Orc denied their existence with a growl, banishing them once more.

Azog watched the life wane from his battle-partner and friend's eye, and just before she released her final breath he gently kissed her muzzle, whispering the only kind words he knew. "Sleep well, my friend."

When he stood and moved away from her body, he looked directly at the pups lying near her tail; three small males, all the colour of dirt under the red of their mother's blood. All of them were much too small and even the most stupid of orcs knew they would be good for fighting without mounts, nothing more… or kept for breeding purposes. None of them would do. With a snarl of anger, Azog strode to the orc who had been in charge of birthing the pups with the intention of running him through with the claw of his left arm.

He stopped at the sight of what lay in the orcs arms. There was a large, wriggling warg pup in his arms, growling and yipping quietly and rather good naturedly. The pup attempted to bite its handler in its movements before it locked eyes with Azog. There was no doubt that this one of was the female of the litter, and when she saw the Pale Orc, her tongue lolled from her gaping jaws. She was happy to see him. The gleam in her eyes was much akin to her dead mother's.

It had to be fate, he thought with a sly smile, that she would be the same coloring as himself.

**I imagine that pup must being freakin' adorable, all happy and squirming. And bloody. Oh, the little things in life. Hope you liked it, and if you didn't? That's your own fault, now isn't it. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Bless us and splash us, it's amazing how many reads I've gotten… yet only one review. Of course, I'm extremely thankful for that review from the lovely Suga Bee (this installment of TPW is actually dedicated to Suga Bee), but it seems so grossly out of proportion with the scores of you reading this. Let me know what you think when you're done reading; it helps me with what (and IF) I should write more.**

**Even if you don't review, I hope you enjoy every word.**

**Again, this is AU movieverse with a caring!Azog. **

The Great Goblin before him laughed and looked to the masses of grotesque creatures surrounding him, all of them snickering, "Did ya hear that, lads? He wants the head of Thrain's son… and to think I had thought him to be an orc of a different colour! Now, my albino friend, why would someone such as yourself wish to see someone so insignificant beheaded?"

Azog continued to glower at the misshapen blog that served as a sort of a 'king' to a race of beings not fit to be seen in sunlight, let alone lamplight. The Great Goblin's secretary laughed the loudest and most annoyingly with a wheezing, gasping quality. A small glance to his right and left showed Azog exactly what he expected to see: his companions were scowling and yet still nervous. The goblins had surrounded the orcs during their inane laughter at a poor joke by an even poorer leader.

"Whatever you are attempting to insinuate, _Your Majesty,_ I assure you is not and never will be your business. All I want is the dwarf dead and his head in my possession. That is all you need to know," Azog grumbled to the monstrous king before turning to his companions and adding in Black Speech, "Prepare yourselves."

"And why exactly," the Great Goblin stood and walked slowly and menacingly towards the small band of orcs, scepter pointed directly at the Pale Orc's chest, "should I do anything for you, orc? You have no power here." The goblins all around them broke into laughter again, and again the secretary laughed in such a way that the lead orc felt like clawing his own ears off.

Faster than any of the goblins' small brains could register, Azog drew a dagger sheathed at his side and flung it in the direction of the obnoxious laughter, not even bothering to look at his target. There was a choked gurgling sound as the goblin was flung from his seat, knife in his throat, and hurtled into the darkness below. The Great Goblin turned and watched the small creature fall, his mouth agape in shock. Within seconds, however, he recovered and cast a disparaging glare at Azog. "That was a very grave mistake, lad." The goblins surrounding the band drew their weapons, snickering as they advanced on the group; the orcs drew theirs as well, knowing full well that they were vastly outnumbered.

Only Azog remained calm, though he could not pinpoint why.

As the Great Goblin opened his mouth to yell out a command, a series of echoing clicks sounded from behind the Pale Orc, coming closer and closer to the king under the mountain. Goblins were letting out shrieks of distress with each click, seeming to be terrorized by whatever was making the sound. One of Azog's band let loose a cry of dismay as he was shoved brusquely into a small group of goblins, giving way for a white warg the size of a deer. It looked to be extremely dangerous in the eyes of the Great Goblin, and he backed up quickly, stumbling over a number of smaller goblins just behind him.

The warg bitch trotted quickly to take a place in next to her master and friend, snarling with bared teeth at the massive goblin. Azog let surprise enter his face for only a moment before glowering up at the king of the goblins, a scornful smile on his face. "As you were saying, Your Majesty?"

Every goblin in the room looked painfully frightened, including their king. They did not know what this creature was capable of and seemed uninterested in learning. Their king however did know quite well what a warg of even a small size could do.

"Well?" Azog ran his fingers through the bristly fur of his future mount, much to her elation. The white warg uttered a purring growl deep in her chest, still focusing her attention on the gluttonous king who had threatened her master.

"You… made a grave mistake, lad, but… I am more than willing to… to… overlook such a misstep on your side. You were saying something about the dwarf's head, yes?"

"Indeed I was."

"And how exactly should we… go about this… deal?" The Great Goblin never took his nervous gaze off the slavering beast at Azog's hip.

The Pale Orc flung a small bag of coins onto the floor between himself and the king of the goblins, laughing inwardly when the massive creature spooked slightly. The bitch snarled at the king as she leaned into her master. Every goblin in the room was silent.

"You will receive more when I receive his head."

"And what," the Great Goblin began, gaining his courage again and stepping forward a single pace, his large fingers tightening perceptibly on his scepter, eyes leaving the warg for only a moment to meet the gaze of her orc, "exactly would I do with gold?"

A few stray goblins snickered in the surrounding group until Azog's bitch barked. All went silent once again.

"That, Your Majesty, is your own choice, not mine. I only demand, Thorin, Son of Thrain, dead."

Once back into the light of day again, Azog reprimanded his bitch in front of his band for having snuck into the hall of the Great Goblin. She whimpered perfunctorily until the other wandered off to find their tethered wargs hidden in the forest around them. When both Azog and the white warg were out of the hearing range of the others, the pale Orc ran his fingers through the bitch's fur and smiled at her. She, in her own wolfish way, grinned back. He scratched briefly behind her ear and leaned down to lay a kiss on her muzzle. She whined in appreciation.

Through some instinct unknown to the orc, she had sensed that he was in trouble and came to his rescue. Even as a four month old pup, Azog's future mount showed promise. As the other orcs returned with their wargs and Azog's temporary mount, the Pale Orc could not help but think that her birth was fate.

This one would need a name.

**Any suggestions for a name? If so, either review with the name choice or inbox me… I might use your suggestion! Thank you for reading. :) **


End file.
